“It sounds like he doesn’t know what to do with a beautiful woman.”
“You think you’d do so much better, huh?
His smile was pained. “No, I don’t. I would hurt you far worse. But that doesn’t make it okay.” He pulled a card from his inner pocket and then scribbled something on the back. He held it out to her. Obviously he wasn’t going to walk over and give it to her but expected her to come take it. Mara sighed. Finally she rose and walked over to his desk.
“What is this?”
He pressed the card into her hand. “I want you to take this. If you ever need me, call.”
“I already know your number. I answer your phone line, remember?”
“My cell number is on the back.”
That got her attention. Although Ethan was a bone fide workaholic, he was notoriously private. When she’d worked for his partner, Daniel Lawson, she’d called him on his cell phone when he was out of the office with work related matters all the time. She’d come to Ethan expecting him to be the same way. It had been a shock to find out that he guarded his time away from the office ruthlessly and never gave out personal information.
And now she had his cell phone number.
“Thank you for trying to help. It’s really very kind of you.”
“I’m not doing this out of the goodness of my heart.” Ethan smirked but there was a certain sadness behind the expression. “There is no goodness in my heart. I’m doing this because for whatever reason, you make me feel things. I am simply using you for my own ends.”
Despite the harsh words, Mara smiled back at him. “Thanks for the warning. At least you’re honest.”
When she got back to her desk, the message light was blinking on her phone.
Eli’s voice grumbled over the line. “Mara. I have the report for you. I’m sorry it took a little longer. But then, I warned you.”
She put the phone down and turned to her computer screen. Ethan stood watching from the door to his office. She wasn’t sure what to make of his strange confessions or even of Eli’s cryptic message. All she knew was there was a mound of work waiting in her inbox and that it wasn’t going to complete itself. That, at least, she knew she could handle.
“Bad news?” Ethan asked.
Her fingers paused over her keyboard. It was useless to pretend she was fine when they both knew otherwise. But pretending was preferable to breaking down and crying like a toddler. Which was what she really wanted to do.
“I’ll ask about those contract changes you requested. You’ll have it before the end of the day. I’ll make sure of it.”
He nodded once, then he was gone.
* * * * *
THE REST OF the afternoon was better. Mara diverted her calls to Ada, who’d assured her that she didn’t mind, so that she could get a handle on things. Nothing made her feel better than a clear inbox so for the rest of the day she blocked out everything and focused on completing her work. Ethan didn’t come out of the office except to greet his appointments. She breathed a sigh of relief when one of the attorneys from another floor entered his office and closed the door. As long as he was occupied, she didn’t have to think about their strange conversation or how he’d looked at her.
As if her life wasn’t screwed up enough lately.
What was she going to do? It was the major question that she’d been trying to avoid all day. Her entire life was set to go in one direction. Marry Trent and live happily ever after. For once in her life, she’d actually done something to make her mother happy. She’d found a man who was steady and dependable and loved her. Or so she’d thought.
Just thinking about the prior night made her alternately angry and sad. She hadn’t felt like this in a long time. Hopeless and despondent and shattered. The last time she’d had her entire world crushed had been at her quinceañera party when she’d learned that her mother had only married her father because of his money. When she’d been told that her mother was proud of her because her beauty was sure to take her far in life. Which by her mother’s definition meant a rich husband with a big house.
She glanced at the time in the top corner of her computer screen. It was almost time to leave and she doubted that she’d accomplish anything of use at this point. After gathering her things, she stopped at Ada’s desk to thank her for her help and then rode the elevator down to the lobby. To her surprise, when the doors opened, the first thing she saw was her brother.
“Matt? What are you doing here?” He stood and dropped the magazine he’d been reading back on the waiting room table. She glanced around, noticing that several of the women in the lobby were eyeing him. It always amused her to see the way women responded to her brother. Of course she thought he was about as perfect as a guy could be so she didn’t blame them but it was still funny to imagine her brother as some kind of heartthrob.
Typical Matt, he seemed oblivious to the looks and stares directed at him anyway. When one of the women placed herself directly in front of him, he moved around her with a barely polite nod and headed straight for Mara. He didn’t look happy. Her mind immediately went to Trent. Had something happened to him? Her heart sped up.
“What’s happened? Is Trent okay?”
Matt’s scowl only deepened which did nothing to reassure her. He was typically serious which Mara had long gotten used to. It had been worse since his time overseas but he’d been getting better in the past year. Or at least, she’d thought he had been getting better. He’d seemed to have lightened up a lot and found his sense of humor since dating Penny.
“Trent is fine as far as I know. But there’s something you should know.” He glanced behind him. No one stood close enough to overhear but that didn’t seem to make him feel any better. He put an arm around her shoulders and led her outside. “Come on. I’ll drive you to my place.”